Much More Than Names on a Sign

I frequently pass Mark Coates' memorial sign on my way to and from the Savannah Airport. Each time I pass it, I touch my heart and say a small prayer for Mark's family. My daughter saw me do it the other day and asked me "why" and I explained the events surrounding Mark's death and how it seriously shaped me as a young Deputy Sheriff in South Carolina. I explained the critical role of law enforcement in our free society and the concept of The Thin Blue Line.

We have a duty to the generations coming behind us to praise these heroes and tell their stories. They are more than names on signs on our nation's highways. Each name is a heroic story of sacrifice and service. It is the story of a husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, and friend. Their stories teach us, if we are open to learning, about the realities of primal battle.

We are all shaped by our own experiences and the people that have really touched our lives. For me, those names are Mark Coates, Joe Alva, and Sam Hicks. Their deaths taught me a great deal and I pray frequently for them and their loved ones.

We all should.